Fuck Johnny Rotten and GG Allin: No musical artist has ever shown as much contempt for their audience as Lauryn Hill. This contempt has illuminated every phase of her post-Fugees solo career, commencing with 1998’s legendary The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, that world-conquering combo platter of hiphop, R&B, gospel, and pop that sold eight million copies, dominated the Grammys (winning album of the year), landed Hill on the cover of Time, Esquire, and Teen People, and effectively broke her brain.
It’s helpful to remember that even the crowd-pleasing Miseducation bristled with barely concealed contempt for its listeners. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” found Hill denouncing her core urban audience as a bunch of godless hoochies and deadbeat dads (and scoring her first number-one pop single), while the show-opening “Lost Ones” lambastes Hill’s fellow Fugee and former lover Wyclef Jean en route to damning all humanity to hell: “Every man want to act like he’s exempt/When him need to get down on his knees and repent/Can’t slick talk on the day of judgment/Your movement’s similar to a serpent… Hypocrites always want to play innocent/Always want to take it to the full-out extent/Always want to make it seem like good intent/Never want to face it when it’s time for punishment.”
At the time, it was easy to read such denunciations as nouveau protest songs, ballsy social critique with an Old Testament flava. But Hill’s 2002 release MTV Unplugged 2.0 made it clear: Lauryn Hill hates this godless lie we call reality and isn’t above telling the world about it over two discs of chorus-free “songs” that ramble on for upwards of nine minutes each and feature such catchy refrains as “Turn from selfish motivation/So iniquity will not cause your demise.” Back from the exile she self-imposed after the brain-breaking success of Miseducation (on which Hill warned the world to repent or die and was rewarded with adoration and wealth), Hill creates the whole of Unplugged 2.0‘s 100 minutes by herself, accompanied only by an acoustic guitar, which she strums with rudimentary skill. “Fantasy is what people want, but reality is what they need,” says Hill during one of her many lengthy between-song rambles. The reality of Unplugged 2.0 wasn’t pretty, capturing an artist in open revolt against the people and talents that made her a star, and teetering on the edge of what us godless world-dwellers call sanity. Numerous songs find Hill pillorying such villains as empty fornicators, adulterers, and bisexuals, while the nearly 10-minute “I Gotta Find Peace of Mind” ends with Hill chanting “merciful, wonderful God” until she breaks down in sobs.
Unplugged 2.0 set the crazy bar shockingly high, and if Hill’s never quite topped it, she’s kept trying. The would-be Fugees reunion of 2005 was derailed by Hill’s chronic lateness and erratic demands (“Lauryn needs help,” said Wyclef Jean), and the solo shows she’s dabbled in for years have suffered from the same. On more than one occasion, Hill has kept audiences waiting for over three hours, only to deliver an abbreviated set filled with unrecognizable scat-chant songs and lame excuses. (One three-hour delay was blamed on Hill’s improperly dried nail polish. “How you gonna win when you ain’t right within?” indeed.) Even with her fan base dwindling, Hill has kept up the contempt, charging fans $15 for online access to her new music video, which could be viewed exactly three times before access expired.
Now here we are in 2011, and Ms. Lauryn Hill is coming to perform at the Showbox Sodo. Reviews of recent shows have ranged from very enthusiastic (the Riverfront Times called the Saint Louis show “incredible,” praising Hill’s “precision and snarling intensity”) to horrified (numerous reviews cite crushing lateness and a poisonous chemistry between Hill and her band, which is often stranded onstage while Ms. Hill gets herself together). As for the quality of the Showbox show, it’s ultimately in God’s hands. “I know that God doesn’t lie, and that He knows how to talk to the hearts of people better than anyone else,” as Hill told her MTV Unplugged audience. “Whatever He relates to whomever’s listening, that’s what’s supposed to be understood at that time, so it’s all good.” Wear comfortable shoes and bring a book. 
Lithium. Seriously, it helps.
It’s hilarious that the drones of the social networking society need to to be told something like this.
She is a waste of what was talent. She needs to gently fade into the past of what was, and stop trying to bob her head into the view of the now.
She sounds like a demon. I wouldn’t support her. One of my Seattle friends was singled out in the crowd and kicked out of one of her concerts years ago with much “contempt” (love the word choice btw) because she was white…along with the rest of the white people in the room. I’m white, she’s a demon= Not Attending.
Man how I wish she wasn’t nuts. One of the transcendent musical minds of her time. But completely batshit–just as batshit as her idol and stylistic role model Nina Simone.
she was NEVER THAT GOOD IN THE FIRST PLACE.
the fugees… man that shit just sucked. bad. corny appropriations of prior hits. puff daddy & the fam for the newsweek crowd. horrible.
“miseducation” showed that she was graced with an above-average voice… but that’s about where it ended. lyrically, a mess. creatively, slightly above average. but that’s it.
having a great voice is like sticking a pole in the ground and finding oil… it doesn’t impress me because it wasn’t created from scratch. she won the voice lottery.
I saw her show in Denver last month and it was easily the worst concert I have ever seen. She was 2+ hours late and openly fought with her band. Her guitarist stomped off the stage at one point, never to return. It was TERRIBLE.
Lauren Hill is overrated.
I just saw her at Coachella and she was amazing. Seriously, it was great, she made me cry. And there was a cool gospel vibe but it wasn’t preachy. And no, I’m not Christian or religious at all. If you like her music I would recommend giving her a chance.
Loren Hill?
I thought she broke up…
I don’t know about going to the Showbox gig. I have to deal with people like that on the bus and in Belltown all day, and I can’t really see paying for it. I’m also afraid everybody’s going to be all “wow, total genius,” and I’m going to be all “wow, total nutbag.” I think I’ll finish that Keith Richards book instead.
Whoa $65 a pop! That shit ain’t right.
Whoa! $65 a pop! That shit ain’t right.
If Lauryn Hill didn’t want white fans why’d she do Sister Act 2?
You are all, including Schmader, misinformed nincompoops.
She makes me yawn.
if you think lauryn hill was garbage w/ the fugees, you,re an idiot!! as a matter of fact, the show that the fugees did at the showbox was an example of her talent. Even though her & bahamadia were sick, she got on stage and ripped wyclef & pras a new asshole!! Yea the sista is struggling between her spirituality and the music bizz, she’s still crazy talented
deepconcentration you must be high if you think lauryn with the fugees wasn’t dope!! as a matter of fact when the fugees did their first show in seattle at the showbox, she ripped wyclef and pras a new asshole!!! even though she was sick. Granted, the woman is struggling between her spirituality and the music industry doesn’t mean shes not skilled..but i’d be lying if i told you i was enthusiastic about seeing her perform now
she is the mother of bob marley’s grandchildren and a modern day prophet. why let a hater with his narrow mind already made up spout his toxic, ignorant b.s.. let someone who can understand what’s really goin on with ms. hill write the article. jus sayin.
@20, great point, she is indeed the mother of Bob Marley’s grandchildren. My only question is why didn’t she marry Ziggy instead of Rohan? Ziggy’s “Love Power” was played during the credits of Muppet Treasure Island after all. And who can forget “Tommorrow People”?
did anyone actually see her last night at the Showbox. I waited until 11:25 and then left. I admire her work….but nobody’s worth waiting all night for.
The Fugees were fucking garbage so I’m assuming her solo act is just more vapid angry negro nonsense.
@Writingsmydrink…i stayed the whole time..very upset at the over 3 hour delay that was craziness but all in all she pulled it thru for a good show.
Anyone know enough idiots showed up at her show, last night, to sell it out? I know she started 3 hours late, which from reading reviews has been her thing most of this tour.
She kicked off the tour 3 hours late, in Brooklyn, then told the crowd she’s worth the wait and if they didn’t like it they just didn’t understand. Her band are quitting the tour, as well.
If she kicked every white person out of a hip hop, soul, r&b show in Seattle there’d be about 100 people left.
Oh, and dont compare her to Nina Simone. Ever.
@killmenow that’s a GENEROUS estimate
FUCK LAURYN HILL.
she didn’t hit the stage until 11:35pm – 4 and 1/2 hours after she was supposed to.
her band showed up an hour before that, obviously miserable and uncomfortable while waiting for that diva to show up.
i cannot believe you seattle audiences – you never speak up, shame on you for not getting angry and demanding some respect. you just take it and people like a fucked up lauryn hill will shove it down your throat every time.
when she finally did show up she was screaming into the mic and then turning around to scream at her band. she has no conscience, she has no self-respect, and soon she’ll have no fans.
yeah, she just lost one.
i left after two songs — but you know me – i was the one screaming: FUCK YOU LAURYN HILL from about 10:30 on…… you could have joined me, you obviously felt the same way…..
@28 If you paid $65 for a concert ticket, then waited “4 and 1/2 hours” for her to show up, only to leave after two songs, while yelling “Fuck you Lauryn Hill!” You’re just about as batshit as she is… No wait, even more so, because I doubt she’s crazy enough to pay for a ticket to watch YOU perform and leave without getting her money back!
LOSER!
Why did I just get linked to a YouTube comment thread off of the Stranger?
Anyone who went to her concert and left disappointed b/c her ass was over 2 hrs late, i advise you get your order number and call ticketmaster to file a complaint. I’m want my momey back. If enough people complain, we can get a refund! That was the worst concert i’ve been to ever. Lauryn Hill was not worth a dime of my money and she officially lost a fan. Not courtesy to the fans that went to support her.
What the fuck were you people expecting, buying tickets to a Lauryn Hill concert in 2011, when it’s been well-established for over a decade that she resides in the far outlying corner of the “crazy” spectrum of artistic stability? I will always give respect for releasing a truly legendary, genius, classic album, but goddamn, she makes Erykah Badu seem grounded and self-aware.
I went to see her in Seattle . She came 2 hours late , left the stage a few times to yell at her band , she was barely lit and left after rushing just about 7 songs or so …And her outfit was horrendous .
A total let down . The girl is crazy , there , you got it from me !
23: Please go die.